Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1887-10-26

driving the watch on deck forward with
the others. The man at the wheel was.
believe, the only man who escaped a blow.
while not sailor raised his hand in reply.
The ship was running off before a light
breeze, and for fifteen minutes the three
men had it their own way. Then the cap
tain's watch was called, the other sent be-
low, and as we came on deck Capt. Nc
Kay said:
There, curse you for a lot Of dock loaf
ers. hope you have found out who sails
this ship. The man who dares come aft
with another complaint will get his brains
knocked out"
There were nine of us in the captains
watch, which, as told you, was really
the second mates watch-no captain
standing watch at sea unless he so wills.
Every one Of us had been struck or
kicked, and two of the men had been saw
agely beaten on the head and were COW
cred with blood. The name of the first
mate, who now went below with the CAP
tain, was McLogan. The name of the
second mate was Andrews. He was a
younger man than the others, and per-
haps had more heart, for after q bit,
while Herbert had the wheel, he stopped
near him and observed:
The old man is little rough, but one
Of the best seamen out of Glasgow. You
complained too SOON"
but, Mr.. Andrew, what are we to do
for grub?' asked Herbert. ''There isn't
man i'll the fO'Castle as can eat such
stuff"
"Well, it's not my lookout what the
owners furnish. Unless you men want
III to pay you will turn to and make the
best of it."
That closed the conversation. Not a
man OF us spoke Of mutiny or even the
slightest resistance to lawful authority.
When our watch was up we turned in
and went to sleep. I, for one, cherished
the hope that the provisions would be bet
ter III the morning. The officers had only
to taste them to realize that they were to-
tally unfit, and hoped the captain would
do this and thus do away with all cause
Tor further complaint, AS the kids were
brought forward at breakfast time, how
ever, we scented the sinking beef long
before 1t reached us, and we found the
biscuit and tea as vile as ever Having
eaten nothing since the previous noon. and
all of us being hearty men, you can mag
Inc that we were sharp set. Not a man
OF us, however, could swallow that food.
and the kids and pannikins were left
standing at the windlaSs for the cook to
carry back with their contents untouched.
The men looked at each other with
troubled faces, but there was no threat of
mutiny. We went to our work on emptv
stomachs, as also did the other watch,
and, though the officers knew it, not a
word was said. The men chewed an extra
quantity of tobacco, and hoped that noon
would soften the captains heart.
Noon brought no change, and when
~o1s, y,I r. I -
grub placed before US, the men broke ont
with curses. If the food had been eat
able, don't you suppose that sailors. who
had been from twenty-four to thirty
hours without eating q mOuthful would
have at least nibbled at it? I am telling
you what l afterward made affidavit to.
made repeated attempts to worry down
some of the meat, but each time it was re-
Jected. Some of the men who got Il few
swallows of the tea down were made
dreadfully sick. Again we went supper
less, but now the men began to assert
that no law of the high seas permitted a
captain to starye his crew. We would
wait until morning, and, if the food was
not changed, something must be done. l
am sure the captain expected something
to occur that night, for he was frequently
on deck, and the three officers were more
than once in consultation. The cook had
reported, as we afterward learned, that
none of the supper had been eaten, and
the captain had replied:
We'll, the burned sojers will either eat
such grub as set out, or live on their own
fat
am telling you truthfully that not a
word OF mutiny was whispered during the
night. We made no threats, and had no
nj Inf -nf al R,TA a.
would bril- crisis Of some sort. Dur
ing the mig, in the case of both watches,
the officers were very abusive, and the
men were struck or kicked without the
shadow Of an excuse. When daylight
came, and we began to scrub down, the
breeze died quite away, and we lay be-
Gained. We were at this time about 90
or 100 miles from the British coast.
When it was time for breakfast both
watches were on deck, and as the men
went to the cooks galley to receive their
kids and pannikins all three officers showed
up on deck. l was at the wheel. and I
saw that the captain and first mate Ind
their revOivers. The kids were taken for
ward without word The food had not
been changed, and the men pushed the
dishes away. If there was any growing
! couldn't hear it. The captain waited
about ten minutes, and then seeing that
the men were not going to eat, he told the
second mate to order them aft. All came
in a body, and all bore themselves respect
fully.
Look here, Herbert, said the captain,
addressing the sailor who had acted as
spokesman on the previous occasion.
''what is the matter with the grubY'
Its bad, sir-unft TO cat, " replied the
man.
"That is, you lazy lubbers have agreed
among you to call it bad, and to make me
put into some port?'
Sir, there's never q man Of us but
what is willing to stand for the voyage
and work our best, but the grub, sir, beg
ging your pardon, was spoiled long enough
before it came on board. Will you please
inspect It, STRIP
mot by a damned sight, and now we'u
see which end Of this ship sails the other"
With that he rushed upon Herbert to
strike him with his loaded weapon, while
the mates seized Delaying pins and dashed
IN TO knock down as many men as they
could. The sailors ran forward, and l
heard some of them begging for mercy.
The officers followed them, evidently de-
termined to wreak savage vengeance, and
it was only when driven to the windlass
that the men turned. 1t was a case Of
self defense. / could not well see what
followed, but l heard pistol shots, savage
cries, great struggle, and, as it now
came on dead calm, left the wheel and
ran forward. AN was over when got to
the foremost. The three officers were
dead or dying, Herbert and another sailor
were dead, and of the remainder of the
men at least five were seriously wounded
The mutiny had not lasted above five
minutes For o long time after reached
the bow the men stood looking around
them without uttering q word. Then, at
last, a Yankee sailor named Ben LObdell,
who had a bullet in his left shoulder,
stood out little from the rest and said:
Mates, we have been driven to mutiny
and murder Aye, every man OF you
knows we had to turn to save our own
lives against those officers lying dead. It
has all come about through the bad grub.
l shall now order the cook to prepare us
breakfast, and after that is eaten we shall
consult as to what is to be done. Mean
while, as in duty bound, will set q signal
Of distress"
The steward got the flag from the locker
in the cabin and it was properly set.
Then the hurts of the wounded were
looked to, and by that time breakfast was
ready II was served in our dishes and
eaten on deck, and not n man OF us had a
word to say. Just ss we were finishing
the cook and steward came out in COM
pany and hoped we would spare their
lives. Ben got up and replied.
Han- q 10